Yep, bought it at Harbor Freight. My trailer is pretty high off the ground but the pad just fit between the U bolts and raised it high enough to get the tire off.
For ultimate space savings, as others have said about using 2/4 or wood to distribute the weight, you could get an extra anti ratle hitch thingy ( https://hftools.com/app58134 ) put the plate between the round top of the bottle jack and the rail next time. (Set the bolt part of the anti-rattle thing aside.) That being said, it's sad the frames are getting that flimsy it's capable of collapsing under point load. Also, don't try lifting in that same spot again without something to distribute the weight. Preferably a metal plate, and block of wood. ..
We have a 12ton small bottle jack and I do the same for my 5th wheel right by the axle. I’ve done all my grease inserts without a single issue. Also you can spin the head of your bottle jack to get more height out of it.
I worked as a bus driver and they always used the same positon when lifting the bus with these. (We were really cheap).. easy to bend a frame on a weaker point with this much weight. There's usually safe spots mentioned in the manual, always check. You don't want to die the way a co worker did. His jack failed and his little daughter found him dead under his truck after school.
Be safe.
A plate that's bigger than the frame placed between the jack and frame probably would've worked too. Spreads the force out on the whole tube of the frame, not buckling in the middle.
This is specifically what the manual says:
"Place blocking under the main rail/frame with a hydraulic leg on top of the blocking in front of the spring hanger, ALWAYS on the main rail."
Place blocking = 2x4 or other spacer. You’re deforming your rails because about half the entire weight of the trailer is sitting on the tiny cleats of the jack.
Oh, I had no idea, I was just trying to guess what the previous poster was getting at with “We all know the answer…”. I jacked up two vehicles today and had no idea where the jack stands went, just kinda guessed and hoped for the best 😬😂. Ha, no one died, I call that a win.
Most research Ive read said do not lift on the axle tube. If you do, I think as close as possible to the hub or spring connection should be safest.
I would do it with a tube attachment on the jack if there are no flat areas to lift. I think on my torsion tandem axle (no leaf springs) there is no great flat spot. So I do the ramp method.
Its really frustrating tbh...manufacturers dont really provide a good lift point or make it totally obvious like a vehicle.
Thats if the leaf spring shackle is on the bottom right? That would seem safer.
Dont most of them have the shackle mount on top though? That would be axle tube all the way to the hub. My current RV has torsion axles and nothing looks safe as a lift point.
Top down or bottom up shackles depends on if the axle is underslung or overslung. Either is an acceptable design. Manufacturers will use underslung for a lower ride height, or overslung for a higher ride height (and/or to allow for larger diameter tires).
Either way, it’s a good jacking location as the weight of the camper will be directly placed atop of the jack.
Dexter and Lippert (who make 99% of RV axles), strongly recommend you don't jack up anywhere on your axle, you instead use the RV frame rails and a block of wood. I usually jack behind the axles a couple feet, this way you keep the front landing gear or tongue jack firmly planted.
use one of these tire change ramps, this one is camco but lots of different manufactors make them.
[https://camcooutdoors.com/camco-trailer-aid-tandem-tire-changing-ramp/?setCurrencyId=1&sku=21000&srsltid=AfmBOooMg62Quu8CfEP9EtkTeoB1Lj3M7qWLJaS3Sa6q\_pLNuHCPvv8Qh5Y](https://camcooutdoors.com/camco-trailer-aid-tandem-tire-changing-ramp/?setCurrencyId=1&sku=21000&srsltid=AfmBOooMg62Quu8CfEP9EtkTeoB1Lj3M7qWLJaS3Sa6q_pLNuHCPvv8Qh5Y)
This is what I came to say! Changing I tire while hooked up to the truck is going to be safest. (Use your emergency break) make a ramp and roll on to those blocks and you in the air. Change the tire and roll off of them. This is the easy way.
Can’t downvote this hard enough. The height of the frame deems this unsafe. Even with the plastic Lego block cribbing. As others have stated, for tire changes and axil maintenance place jack under the leaf springs. For axle replacement or alignment then you may need to support the trailer via the frame, but still would not recommend lifting via the frame.
You should never use a 2x4 with a bottle jack, a failure of the 2x4 by the points of a bottle jack (basically a wood splitter) though not highly likely makes it dangerous
If the 2x4 sections are from wall studs (which are the cheapest softest lumber there is) then they’re probably not the best for resisting a crushing load like this. Wood that’s meant to be used outside, under load, like for decking or fences is what you want to rely on. A 2x6 or a 4x4 section that’s pressure treated will be much safer and last longer.
Being I did measure it to save to the hassle of trying to save grace for trying to mansplain things, it is 0.1050 with e-coat so that would be a 0.1046 inch 12 gauge rolled C channel without paint.
Well, when rvs these days are slapped together in 7 hours with the cheapest possible materials and the lightest weights, the steel frame is going to be paper thin. RVs these days are trash
Pedantic correction, it's a steel C channel, and you're correct that you SHOULDN'T have to spread the load, but they're making these things out of paper mache, toothpicks, and aluminum foil these days. So break out a 2x4 and spread the load around.
Based. People ask me why I keep the plastic risers and multiple 2x4 and 4x4. It's for this reason. Not this exact situation, per se, but anything like it. Mud patch under one of the contact points (tires, tongue, etc.), needing to jack or support on uneven ground, you name it. This sailor comes prepared for rough seas.
To be fair, the force is only equal to the weight at the lift point, not the Jack's max capacity or the overall weight of the RV unless the RV was lifted entirely off the ground at this one lift point.
That’s what happens if you use a bottle jack and nothing to spread the load. Good news is it really is just cosmetic and you learned a valuable lesson today.
Bottle jacks really focus their force at one point. I used one to jack up a concrete slab once. I thought about sticking a 2x4 between it and the slab but was too lazy to walk to the shed for the 2x4. I ended up with a hairline crack in the concrete.
Agree! With my blowout I just used those leveling blocks to make a little ramp and pulled the rig on up to it. Doesn’t take much. Obviously chocked the wheels on the other side to prevent it rolling off. Quick and effective. Also means I don’t have to carry a heavy bottle Jack.
We were trying to avoid having to hook it all back up. But seems as if that is the best option. Although, I'm disappointed that the supplies we bought for something like this isn't as effective as the videos we watched.
RV frames are pretty thin, and the surface area of a bottle jack is very small, so the force applied to that area overcame the frame. If you had a floor jack with a 4" top, this probably wouldnt have happened. Youd be better shim the good tire off the ground with those blocks to lift the bad tire off the ground, or use the axle where the "U" bolts wrap around as your lift point.
Most *towable* frames are thin to save weight. It's part of why I prefer motorhomes. Everyone likes to blame lippert for it too because they make most of the frames, but all lippert does is deliver a product made to the manufacturer's requested specifications.
Not the right part of the frame you’re supposed to Jack from. You can also use a little 2x4 piece of wood to distribute the weight over a larger surface area. On most newer vehicles there will be an area near the rear or front tires where it indicates and is marked as the correct place to Jack. If all else fails check your manual or online for a manual to find the correct place.
You would think that....
I checked my XLR manual and it said do not jack by the frame and gave no jacking points. I then checked my axle manual and it said do not jack by the axle.
I was like...I guess I will just die then...
Per the manual:
"Place blocking under the main rail/frame with a hydraulic leg on top of the blocking in front of the spring hanger, ALWAYS on the main rail."
I don’t have any advice but you have my sympathy. That outcome would have annoyed the heck out of me honestly. Frame is weaker than one would expect for the small surface area of a bottle jack piston. I agree with other comments in that I’d use a 2x4 block of wood and see if that would work. It’s a real experiment isn’t it? A steel plate would be better but the wood could cut it. You only need to lift the tire 1/2inch off the ground to change it after all.
Hope it works out for you.
Get a trailer buddy for changing tires makes a world of difference
https://www.bigdweb.com/trailer-helper?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvvmzBhA2EiwAtHVrb_et8QOt50g2fuqO7_59oQse7k-Nnuoxnw_mGalzM5zIFW3w9Pf-gxoC4pUQAvD_BwE
I travel with a low pro high lift jack in the bed of the truck, mostly because my trucks are lifted and the cab jacks just won’t lift them. But bottle jacks are never a good idea without a way to disperse the load
Look into safe Jack. They sell accessories for bottle jacks.
You probably want something like this.
https://safejacks.com/collections/bottle-jack-accessories/products/3-piece-starter-kit
I almost bought that same jack but I didn’t like how small the head was on the lift point. Went with the 12-ton instead. I also use [one of these](https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjF6M6TwIKHAxUAXUcBHa7zBOEYABAgGgJxdQ&gclid=CjwKCAjw4f6zBhBVEiwATEHFVsgX8xstQa-bJxTtL0L2Ppmf2MmEefxof8rFUg7a66LOBUTTuaP8bRoCM8kQAvD_BwE&sph=&sig=AOD64_3eA3D7RMxJJXHyZNYHTfxAxckX8A&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjKoMmTwIKHAxXHGVkFHbiXAhMQwg8oAHoECAUQFA&adurl=).
Technically, the weight of the trailer dented itself against the bottle jack.
You need to spread the load with something like a thick block of wood or steel plate.
It is, but it's meant to be.
It's mostly for alignment under load.
I wondered this when we got our camper also!
https://standardaxle.ca/should-trailer-axles-be-straight-or-curved-what-are-spring-and-torsion-axles/
Have used a rope before. Tie it around the frame and axel. Put bar thru loop and twist as rope winds up rope get shorter lifting that axel. (Dual axel). Drove to safe place and changed tire. Tie off bar to rope as to keep it fastened. But then again these new trailers don’t have the frame like they use to.
Bottle jacks aren’t safe in my opinion. They can’t handle any lateral load. I have a 2000 lb aluminum Harbor Freight Jack I keep in my motor home. I jack under the axle, not the frame.
Dude, why a bottle jack with the small touch pad direct to frame? As others mentioned, small touch pad to bigger piece/Wood. Or to an axle that is lower.
Yeah, save time and use these. https://www.amazon.ca/Camco-Trailer-Aid-Designed-32-inches-44436/dp/B0B8JWW7YB/ref=asc_df_B0B8JWW7YB/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=641918545899&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14062140979884253950&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001437&hvtargid=pla-1809922227811&psc=1&mcid=651cac16a46c33dd9112de80281f952
Get a jack with a proper saddle on top and just jack it up from under the end of the axle. If you go to the frame you also have to unload the suspension before the tire will come up. Under the axle the tire will come up right away.
If you jack the axle you only have to raise it a couple of inches, if you jack the frame up you have to lift it high enough for all the suspension travel probably 8 or10 inches minimum.
The axle tube is hollow and will dent like the frame .if you put the jack under the pad where the axle attaches it will jack up the axle and is strong.
Rvs are crap. I just spent 8 weekends repairing and modifying mine. I had broken frame welds, a fresh water tank that wouldn’t fully empty. Heating ducts that were ripped on installation among many things.
If you were removing one tire drive the other up on your level blocks enough for the other tire to clear. No jacking, potential for damage or falling off jack which can injure you
If you bothered to disconnect your sewer lines you can just drive the other axle up on the plastic blocks you already have and the other axle will magically be off the ground. 🤷
Get the tire changer ramp, or trailer aid on Amazon, drive up on it, lifts the other tire off the ground. No need to jack. Fits in the storage compartment.
Never use a bottle jack unless you are lifting a real steel beam. Always put a block of wood at least 4x4 and 12-in long atop the bottle jack stem to avoid the stem punching thru your light gauge steel frame. And a good 2x8 under the bottle jack to stabilize it as well. I would never use a bottle jack, too risky. Instead I carry a 4x6 to go beneath both axles, then use a floor jack between the two tires to lift a double axle trailer. If you have single axle, you can lift using a 4x4 under the springs with a floor jack.
Hey smart ass, before you comment do your research, when you have a tandem axle you can use a tire ramp to lift the first side up genius.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000I4JPZE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Enjoy
I'm sorry it upset you, yes I am a smart-ass but but definitely not in my last comment, however it's better than being a grumpy ass I guess, but anyway since you are opening a dialogue no matter how much hate and Venom you include, I appreciate it. Also wouldn't you agree, my learned fellow redditor, that it would be safer to have TWO ramps rather than one, because I can't see pulling up a trailer on one ramp and it leaning to it side as very safe, in fact they're usually sold in pairs of ramps, plural, for exactly that safety reasons.
I have some engineered truss planks for supporting floors. Used it on uneven ground to prevent damage to my septic field when they put the feet down for the small crane to lift a leaking propane tank (half full) over my shed. When they were done there was no sign of where they put the supports down. Same concept if you use wood to transfer the load.
I’ve never liked the idea of all that force that the bottle jack directs into that tiny point so i got a 3/8” thick piece of plate steel to distribute the weight more evenly
Nail some 6x6 stacked on top of each other together. Drive the trailer up on the 6x6 enough so that whichever tire now sits off the ground. This way you don't need to worry about the trailer slipping off the jack. I had a blowout with a 5th wheel and this is how I changed it
I keep a floor Jack in my truck for this, but first I raise up the bad tire by backing the good tire onto my 2 2x12 leveler boards to raise up the flat. So no need to put 100% of the weight on the jack.
The frame on a camper is not where you place the jack. Only place that is strong enough is on the axle close to the tire as you can get. A bottle jack is fine on the axle. Sorry this happened but the frames are built with the lightest steel possible to keep the weight down. These are built so cheap it’s sickening.
That frame is not a lifting point! Always jack your trailer up from the axle under the u bolts. I would never use that type of bottle jack either. I worked 10 years in the tire business and the type of bottle jack you have pictured are crazy dangerous. You need one with a bigger base and a larger rubber pad at the top. You’re lucky you didn’t have the tire off when the frame bent. That could have gotten real ugly, real quick. I know of at least three instances where someone has died and countless injuries from those slipping. This is an absolute last resort emergency only jack. I think they make slip on no slip top pads for them so get one of those. It will also help distribute the weight at the lifting point.
You can also lift at u-bolts, so what your point is, I'm not quite certain.
Regardless of the choice made, the point is still to lift what's carrying the weight, not the weight being carried.
I always set the jack on the axle between the U bolts. Had to swap a tire out a couple of times and it worked well.
Were you using a bottle jack? We bought this to save space and weight after watching some other rv/tt people using one successfully.
Yep, bought it at Harbor Freight. My trailer is pretty high off the ground but the pad just fit between the U bolts and raised it high enough to get the tire off.
For ultimate space savings, as others have said about using 2/4 or wood to distribute the weight, you could get an extra anti ratle hitch thingy ( https://hftools.com/app58134 ) put the plate between the round top of the bottle jack and the rail next time. (Set the bolt part of the anti-rattle thing aside.) That being said, it's sad the frames are getting that flimsy it's capable of collapsing under point load. Also, don't try lifting in that same spot again without something to distribute the weight. Preferably a metal plate, and block of wood. ..
I agree
We have a 12ton small bottle jack and I do the same for my 5th wheel right by the axle. I’ve done all my grease inserts without a single issue. Also you can spin the head of your bottle jack to get more height out of it.
I worked as a bus driver and they always used the same positon when lifting the bus with these. (We were really cheap).. easy to bend a frame on a weaker point with this much weight. There's usually safe spots mentioned in the manual, always check. You don't want to die the way a co worker did. His jack failed and his little daughter found him dead under his truck after school. Be safe.
A plate that's bigger than the frame placed between the jack and frame probably would've worked too. Spreads the force out on the whole tube of the frame, not buckling in the middle.
Why you not jack under leaf spring/axle connection?
We all know the answer. Just nobody will say it out loud.
If you read the manual it will say where to put the jack?
This is specifically what the manual says: "Place blocking under the main rail/frame with a hydraulic leg on top of the blocking in front of the spring hanger, ALWAYS on the main rail."
So you missed the add blocking part there. That’s why you caused the problem.
Place blocking = 2x4 or other spacer. You’re deforming your rails because about half the entire weight of the trailer is sitting on the tiny cleats of the jack.
Oh, I had no idea, I was just trying to guess what the previous poster was getting at with “We all know the answer…”. I jacked up two vehicles today and had no idea where the jack stands went, just kinda guessed and hoped for the best 😬😂. Ha, no one died, I call that a win.
Most research Ive read said do not lift on the axle tube. If you do, I think as close as possible to the hub or spring connection should be safest. I would do it with a tube attachment on the jack if there are no flat areas to lift. I think on my torsion tandem axle (no leaf springs) there is no great flat spot. So I do the ramp method. Its really frustrating tbh...manufacturers dont really provide a good lift point or make it totally obvious like a vehicle.
Jacking the unsupported axle tube is a horrible idea; however, you can safely jack it under the leaf springs.
You can also safely jack it inside with the door closed.
You’ll shoot your eye out
Thats if the leaf spring shackle is on the bottom right? That would seem safer. Dont most of them have the shackle mount on top though? That would be axle tube all the way to the hub. My current RV has torsion axles and nothing looks safe as a lift point.
Top down or bottom up shackles depends on if the axle is underslung or overslung. Either is an acceptable design. Manufacturers will use underslung for a lower ride height, or overslung for a higher ride height (and/or to allow for larger diameter tires). Either way, it’s a good jacking location as the weight of the camper will be directly placed atop of the jack.
Its what my book says and what several RV Tech channels say is the right way 🤷🏽
This is correct
Because you're not supposed to? I do as well sometimes...but certainly wouldn't criticize someone for not doing it LOL
Was not a critique. Truly didn't know.
Dexter and Lippert (who make 99% of RV axles), strongly recommend you don't jack up anywhere on your axle, you instead use the RV frame rails and a block of wood. I usually jack behind the axles a couple feet, this way you keep the front landing gear or tongue jack firmly planted.
use one of these tire change ramps, this one is camco but lots of different manufactors make them. [https://camcooutdoors.com/camco-trailer-aid-tandem-tire-changing-ramp/?setCurrencyId=1&sku=21000&srsltid=AfmBOooMg62Quu8CfEP9EtkTeoB1Lj3M7qWLJaS3Sa6q\_pLNuHCPvv8Qh5Y](https://camcooutdoors.com/camco-trailer-aid-tandem-tire-changing-ramp/?setCurrencyId=1&sku=21000&srsltid=AfmBOooMg62Quu8CfEP9EtkTeoB1Lj3M7qWLJaS3Sa6q_pLNuHCPvv8Qh5Y)
That’s what I used, when i had a twin axle TT
Or just build one outta your plastic blocks!
This is what I came to say! Changing I tire while hooked up to the truck is going to be safest. (Use your emergency break) make a ramp and roll on to those blocks and you in the air. Change the tire and roll off of them. This is the easy way.
Heh heh. 32 bucks. I know most folk done have a bandsaw. But I'm gonna make on of those for free with the wood scrap in my yard. Thanks for the idea
That’s what I did with two 6” wide boards stacked on top of each other to make a step up. So it’s just a flat top. Works well.
Use a small piece of 2x4 to distribute the load across the frame.
Can’t downvote this hard enough. The height of the frame deems this unsafe. Even with the plastic Lego block cribbing. As others have stated, for tire changes and axil maintenance place jack under the leaf springs. For axle replacement or alignment then you may need to support the trailer via the frame, but still would not recommend lifting via the frame.
Axle*
I agree. I was just trying to answer the question on the dent.
You should never use a 2x4 with a bottle jack, a failure of the 2x4 by the points of a bottle jack (basically a wood splitter) though not highly likely makes it dangerous
Stop fear mongering. People do this every day
I've had the same blocks of wood at work (body shop) for literally years. The oil and general abuse makes them stronger IMHO.
If the 2x4 sections are from wall studs (which are the cheapest softest lumber there is) then they’re probably not the best for resisting a crushing load like this. Wood that’s meant to be used outside, under load, like for decking or fences is what you want to rely on. A 2x6 or a 4x4 section that’s pressure treated will be much safer and last longer.
My trusty 2x4 blocks Ive used for decades disagrees
Use a hockey puck
lol it’s a freaking steel i beam. You shouldn’t need to spread load
Definitely not an I beam. It’s a hollow tube. 2x4 not hollow…
Some are a C channel with box plates in key locations.
I can’t imagine a c channel would deform like in the picture, looks too thin
Our ‘18 21’ is a 6x2.5 C channel frame, probably no more than .095 thick.
Less than 1/8” thick? Sounds doubtful
You might actually go look at one before you tell people they are wrong.
What’s the model?
Being I did measure it to save to the hassle of trying to save grace for trying to mansplain things, it is 0.1050 with e-coat so that would be a 0.1046 inch 12 gauge rolled C channel without paint.
Are you talking about the trailer frame?
Yes
Well, when rvs these days are slapped together in 7 hours with the cheapest possible materials and the lightest weights, the steel frame is going to be paper thin. RVs these days are trash
Pedantic correction, it's a steel C channel, and you're correct that you SHOULDN'T have to spread the load, but they're making these things out of paper mache, toothpicks, and aluminum foil these days. So break out a 2x4 and spread the load around.
Based. People ask me why I keep the plastic risers and multiple 2x4 and 4x4. It's for this reason. Not this exact situation, per se, but anything like it. Mud patch under one of the contact points (tires, tongue, etc.), needing to jack or support on uneven ground, you name it. This sailor comes prepared for rough seas.
Based?
Internet lingo. It means they agree
he is putting 8000lbs of force on about 1.5 sq. inches
To be fair, the force is only equal to the weight at the lift point, not the Jack's max capacity or the overall weight of the RV unless the RV was lifted entirely off the ground at this one lift point.
But but I need modern looking particle board less than 4-5 years old to not feel like a hobo /s
Your math is a smidge off. 16000 lbs of force.
I agree you shouldn’t have to spread the load on the frame of vehicle when jacking it up
That’s what happens if you use a bottle jack and nothing to spread the load. Good news is it really is just cosmetic and you learned a valuable lesson today.
Bottle jacks really focus their force at one point. I used one to jack up a concrete slab once. I thought about sticking a 2x4 between it and the slab but was too lazy to walk to the shed for the 2x4. I ended up with a hairline crack in the concrete.
If you think about it, you actually created a crack in the surface of the earth. Please be careful, for all our sake.
With double axle you can drive up on a board with the good tire. This is by far the safest and easiest way to raise a single tire off the ground
Agree! With my blowout I just used those leveling blocks to make a little ramp and pulled the rig on up to it. Doesn’t take much. Obviously chocked the wheels on the other side to prevent it rolling off. Quick and effective. Also means I don’t have to carry a heavy bottle Jack.
This guy knows.
We were trying to avoid having to hook it all back up. But seems as if that is the best option. Although, I'm disappointed that the supplies we bought for something like this isn't as effective as the videos we watched.
block of wood between the jack and the frame. Easy solution.
RV frames are pretty thin, and the surface area of a bottle jack is very small, so the force applied to that area overcame the frame. If you had a floor jack with a 4" top, this probably wouldnt have happened. Youd be better shim the good tire off the ground with those blocks to lift the bad tire off the ground, or use the axle where the "U" bolts wrap around as your lift point.
Most *towable* frames are thin to save weight. It's part of why I prefer motorhomes. Everyone likes to blame lippert for it too because they make most of the frames, but all lippert does is deliver a product made to the manufacturer's requested specifications.
yep if they made them the way people think they should be made they would weigh 20,000 lbs dry
Ehhh… everything that starts with an “L,” eventually breaks. Same with their shwintek crap.
Ive done that without damage before but I always use a small piece of plate steel between the bottle jack and the frame to spread the weight out
Not the right part of the frame you’re supposed to Jack from. You can also use a little 2x4 piece of wood to distribute the weight over a larger surface area. On most newer vehicles there will be an area near the rear or front tires where it indicates and is marked as the correct place to Jack. If all else fails check your manual or online for a manual to find the correct place.
You would think that.... I checked my XLR manual and it said do not jack by the frame and gave no jacking points. I then checked my axle manual and it said do not jack by the axle. I was like...I guess I will just die then...
Damn yeah that’s lame. Gotta use a 2x4 scrap wood block then to prevent this kind of damage in the future.
Basic physics. Too much pressure in one small spot… I blame the school system for this….
Thats not a jack point. That isn't 1970s steel that is modern Chinese steel
Per the manual: "Place blocking under the main rail/frame with a hydraulic leg on top of the blocking in front of the spring hanger, ALWAYS on the main rail."
I don’t have any advice but you have my sympathy. That outcome would have annoyed the heck out of me honestly. Frame is weaker than one would expect for the small surface area of a bottle jack piston. I agree with other comments in that I’d use a 2x4 block of wood and see if that would work. It’s a real experiment isn’t it? A steel plate would be better but the wood could cut it. You only need to lift the tire 1/2inch off the ground to change it after all. Hope it works out for you.
Does your manual say where to jack it?
Jack goes under axle not frame!
The manual literally says frame.
Nope, but obviously you learned, been doing this a long time.
I keep two bottle jacks with me, use them under the axel to level and have never had an issue.
My PSA for all my fellow Camper RV's. NEVER use a JACK to change a tire on your dual axel trailer. Instead, use a Ramp.
I always land all my stabilizer jacks first and take weight off the trailer then jack under the axle at the leaf spring pad with a floor jack
Stabilizer jacks are not meant for the weight at all…
When my firth wheel self leavel it will lift the weight of the unit as needed so yes it has lifted one side high enough to before to self level
That’s different. Those are meant to take the weight. Stabilizer jacks are not.
Get a trailer buddy for changing tires makes a world of difference https://www.bigdweb.com/trailer-helper?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvvmzBhA2EiwAtHVrb_et8QOt50g2fuqO7_59oQse7k-Nnuoxnw_mGalzM5zIFW3w9Pf-gxoC4pUQAvD_BwE
I carry 2 chunks of 4x6 with a 45° angle cut on the ends. I swapped a tire on a highway in 12 minutes a couple months ago.
Wood next time, but our techs usually jacked up the units from the axle
I travel with a low pro high lift jack in the bed of the truck, mostly because my trucks are lifted and the cab jacks just won’t lift them. But bottle jacks are never a good idea without a way to disperse the load
Look into safe Jack. They sell accessories for bottle jacks. You probably want something like this. https://safejacks.com/collections/bottle-jack-accessories/products/3-piece-starter-kit
Adds character
Hahhahahah!!! This is what I say too!! My gf, on the other hand......might not see it that way at this moment. :):)
Do I need to post my prong pricks ?
Make sure you go back to everywhere you found online that said to do this and show them this picture..
I almost bought that same jack but I didn’t like how small the head was on the lift point. Went with the 12-ton instead. I also use [one of these](https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjF6M6TwIKHAxUAXUcBHa7zBOEYABAgGgJxdQ&gclid=CjwKCAjw4f6zBhBVEiwATEHFVsgX8xstQa-bJxTtL0L2Ppmf2MmEefxof8rFUg7a66LOBUTTuaP8bRoCM8kQAvD_BwE&sph=&sig=AOD64_3eA3D7RMxJJXHyZNYHTfxAxckX8A&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjKoMmTwIKHAxXHGVkFHbiXAhMQwg8oAHoECAUQFA&adurl=).
This is why professionals don't use a bottle jack.
The entire way this was done was wrong.
*Correction. I bent my frame by incorrectly placing a bottle jack…
Technically, the weight of the trailer dented itself against the bottle jack. You need to spread the load with something like a thick block of wood or steel plate.
Jacking aside, is that axle bent in the last picture?
It is, but it's meant to be. It's mostly for alignment under load. I wondered this when we got our camper also! https://standardaxle.ca/should-trailer-axles-be-straight-or-curved-what-are-spring-and-torsion-axles/
Thank you, every day is a school day!
You should use a block of 2x4 wood too if the spring or axle aren't possible. Bottle jacks are way too narrow to put up to thin steel.
I used the Anderson wheel level system to raise tire on the 5er. To tag on too others , works well.
I use an Anderson ramp jack. Works only on two or more tires per side of course, but it works great.
Unequal load distribution. Trash the bottle jack and purchase a 4ton floor jack.
So is this why my 2005 has a dry weight of 11,500lbs? My frame doesn't do that.
Not sure that the pinpoint load on a bottle jack on a frame was the best idea. Need to spread load over a larger area like a floor jack does.
Typical rv frame
My advice would have to be get a floor jack for cars and don't ever use a bottle jack on one.
Stack some 2x4's and drive the good tire up until you lift the bad one... or as others have said spread the bottle jack load with a board.
Best jacking location is under the axle, that is what is taking all the weight.
need piece of wood to spread out the load. that beam might be strong enough, but the bottle jack is putting all the weight into a tiny tiny area.
Use a lift point next time…. And a bottle jack long enough for the job
Have used a rope before. Tie it around the frame and axel. Put bar thru loop and twist as rope winds up rope get shorter lifting that axel. (Dual axel). Drove to safe place and changed tire. Tie off bar to rope as to keep it fastened. But then again these new trailers don’t have the frame like they use to.
Bottle jacks aren’t safe in my opinion. They can’t handle any lateral load. I have a 2000 lb aluminum Harbor Freight Jack I keep in my motor home. I jack under the axle, not the frame.
Dude, why a bottle jack with the small touch pad direct to frame? As others mentioned, small touch pad to bigger piece/Wood. Or to an axle that is lower.
The jack goes under the axle near the u bolts
Always place the jack under the axle when changing tires.
Axle looks arched also
Yeah, save time and use these. https://www.amazon.ca/Camco-Trailer-Aid-Designed-32-inches-44436/dp/B0B8JWW7YB/ref=asc_df_B0B8JWW7YB/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=641918545899&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14062140979884253950&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001437&hvtargid=pla-1809922227811&psc=1&mcid=651cac16a46c33dd9112de80281f952
Wrong placement! That only lifts the frame.
Get a jack with a proper saddle on top and just jack it up from under the end of the axle. If you go to the frame you also have to unload the suspension before the tire will come up. Under the axle the tire will come up right away.
If you jack the axle you only have to raise it a couple of inches, if you jack the frame up you have to lift it high enough for all the suspension travel probably 8 or10 inches minimum.
This makes loads of sense...but why do so many sources say not to jack from the axle?
Have to jack the axle on the pad ,the tube part isn't strong enough without denting it .
Why do so many sources say to not use the axle?
The axle tube is hollow and will dent like the frame .if you put the jack under the pad where the axle attaches it will jack up the axle and is strong.
Would a uni jack work under the axle?
Uhh, what brand was that again?
I use a ramp to service tires and axle components, no jacks.
Rvs are crap. I just spent 8 weekends repairing and modifying mine. I had broken frame welds, a fresh water tank that wouldn’t fully empty. Heating ducts that were ripped on installation among many things.
If you were removing one tire drive the other up on your level blocks enough for the other tire to clear. No jacking, potential for damage or falling off jack which can injure you
Dang homie
I think that rv has some sort of cheap steel frame. No real car frame would dent from jack. IMO
If you bothered to disconnect your sewer lines you can just drive the other axle up on the plastic blocks you already have and the other axle will magically be off the ground. 🤷
JFC y’all just use the leveling system… it’s not gonna hurt it.
Best thing to do is use a 2×4 between the jack and the frame. Equal weight distribution this way.
Don't worry about it
Get the tire changer ramp, or trailer aid on Amazon, drive up on it, lifts the other tire off the ground. No need to jack. Fits in the storage compartment.
Never use a bottle jack unless you are lifting a real steel beam. Always put a block of wood at least 4x4 and 12-in long atop the bottle jack stem to avoid the stem punching thru your light gauge steel frame. And a good 2x8 under the bottle jack to stabilize it as well. I would never use a bottle jack, too risky. Instead I carry a 4x6 to go beneath both axles, then use a floor jack between the two tires to lift a double axle trailer. If you have single axle, you can lift using a 4x4 under the springs with a floor jack.
Small piece of 2x4 goes a long way in spreading out surface pressure….
Buy a tire ramp..
>Buy a tire ramp.. To Change a tire? 😅 Tell me, How does that work? 🤣😂
Hey smart ass, before you comment do your research, when you have a tandem axle you can use a tire ramp to lift the first side up genius. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000I4JPZE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title Enjoy
I'm sorry it upset you, yes I am a smart-ass but but definitely not in my last comment, however it's better than being a grumpy ass I guess, but anyway since you are opening a dialogue no matter how much hate and Venom you include, I appreciate it. Also wouldn't you agree, my learned fellow redditor, that it would be safer to have TWO ramps rather than one, because I can't see pulling up a trailer on one ramp and it leaning to it side as very safe, in fact they're usually sold in pairs of ramps, plural, for exactly that safety reasons.
Still sound like a smart ass
I have some engineered truss planks for supporting floors. Used it on uneven ground to prevent damage to my septic field when they put the feet down for the small crane to lift a leaking propane tank (half full) over my shed. When they were done there was no sign of where they put the supports down. Same concept if you use wood to transfer the load.
Welcome to RV build quality lol
China steel
I’ve never liked the idea of all that force that the bottle jack directs into that tiny point so i got a 3/8” thick piece of plate steel to distribute the weight more evenly
Nail some 6x6 stacked on top of each other together. Drive the trailer up on the 6x6 enough so that whichever tire now sits off the ground. This way you don't need to worry about the trailer slipping off the jack. I had a blowout with a 5th wheel and this is how I changed it
I use a short piece of 2x4 when jacking on the frame which spreads the load and prevents the issue.
Use a 2x4 next time it'll spread the weight so it doesn't bend the frame.
I keep a floor Jack in my truck for this, but first I raise up the bad tire by backing the good tire onto my 2 2x12 leveler boards to raise up the flat. So no need to put 100% of the weight on the jack.
Block the top the bottle jack with a 2x4. Oopsy
Completely unrelated. What are those orange things and where can I buy them
Leveling blocks. We got them off of Amazon. We use them for all sorts of things!
I was hoping to pick some up at a local store. Setting up an intex pool tomorrow
Crank jacks down all the way and jack it on the axel to just pick up the tire and axel weight
The frame on a camper is not where you place the jack. Only place that is strong enough is on the axle close to the tire as you can get. A bottle jack is fine on the axle. Sorry this happened but the frames are built with the lightest steel possible to keep the weight down. These are built so cheap it’s sickening.
That frame is not a lifting point! Always jack your trailer up from the axle under the u bolts. I would never use that type of bottle jack either. I worked 10 years in the tire business and the type of bottle jack you have pictured are crazy dangerous. You need one with a bigger base and a larger rubber pad at the top. You’re lucky you didn’t have the tire off when the frame bent. That could have gotten real ugly, real quick. I know of at least three instances where someone has died and countless injuries from those slipping. This is an absolute last resort emergency only jack. I think they make slip on no slip top pads for them so get one of those. It will also help distribute the weight at the lifting point.
This is why you lift the axle, not the frame, unless it's not an option.
You spelled spring shackle wrong.
Lifting the axle with that spring shackle, aren't you?
If that’s what you meant then yes.
You can also lift at u-bolts, so what your point is, I'm not quite certain. Regardless of the choice made, the point is still to lift what's carrying the weight, not the weight being carried.
Uggh everybody wants to argue.
You corrected something not in need of correction, then state that everybody wants to argue? K.
The bottle jack didn't bend the frame You did For lack of forethought That said All is well Distribute the weight better next time
LOL
Ur ok
Axel is bent too are you worried about that
No, that's how it should be curved.
No
Yes. Many of them are curved like that. Have been for a long time.
Axels should be arched upwards, under load it will make the tires contact the road more evenly.
Whats the status of you holding tanks? It's a lot of added weight. 8.34lbs per gallon.